New jobless claims rose unexpectedly last week on the back of layoffs after a series of tornadoes that struck the Midwest, a Labor Department report showed.

Pergo announced on January 28, 2003 that an agreement had been signed whereby Pergo would acquire the remaining shares in Witex AG from HW Industries GmbH & Co KG.

The first meeting of the Inter-Industry Working Group on Concrete Floor Issues, "Building Bridges to Better Floors," was organized and hosted recently by Construction Technology Laboratories (CTL); and co-sponsored by the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), Hanley-Wood LLC, and the Strategic Development Council (SDC) of the ACI Concrete Research and Education Foundation.

McSwain Carpets acquires McSwain Hardwoods after decades-long separation

Congoleum Corp. recently reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2003.

The Charlotte Division of Textile Rubber & Chemical Co. was officially certified to the International Quality Standard ISO 9001:2000 on April 1, 2003.

Floor Supply Distributing Inc., based in Washington, has been appointed to distribute Tarkett residential sheet flooring products and accessories in Oregon and Alaska.

Low mortgage interest rates and a strong underlying demand for housing drove total state existing-home sales to a new record in the first quarter of 2003.

Foamex International Inc. announced its 2003 first quarter results.

CFI will hold its 10th anniversary convention Aug. 14-16 at the Westin Hotel in Kansas City, Mo.